New Austin ISD bus routes: Details about Bus Stop Finder and hub stops

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Independent School District officials share details about the recently launched Bus Stop Finder and new hub stops across the district.

The backstory:

Austin ISD launched its 'bus stop finder' website after planning phases dating back to March.

The district is changing bus routes this school year in an effort to cut back on operating costs. 

Middle and high school students won't be picked up from neighborhood streets anymore. They'll be at "hub stop" community locations like elementary schools, libraries, post offices, or CapMetro transit centers. 

AISD says there will be no more district-wide transportation for Campbell Elementary and Eastside ECHS. 

Service to the Alternative Learning Center will be discontinued while service for other choice schools will continue.

AISD says they recognize that changes significantly impact families, but they have to address budget issues. 

By the numbers:

AISD says during the first phase, a total of 191 hub stops were identified as viable locations to transport students.

In the second phase, an additional ten hubs were identified.

Currently, there are now a total of 242 hub stops that have been identified after an additional 41 hubs were added in the district's third phase.

What's next:

The district says it is continuing to refine hubs with community feedback and real-world conditions.

Officials say the district is evaluating on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis with a particular focus on areas that don't have established sidewalks.

The district says it will continue to adjust stop, so the maximum distance to a hub does not exceed three miles.

What you can do:

How to find your stop:

• Type in your address and school into the Bus Stop Finder
• Review your assigned stop along with the pickup and drop-off times
• Share your feedback via the Transportation Hub Stops Survey so we can continue refining our routes to best serve your family.

What they're saying:

FOX 7 recently spoke to Melissa Graham who has two children, one going to Akins High School and one going to Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA). They live in Bradshaw Crossing. 

"This hub system for the zone school does not make sense, because there are literally hundreds of kids in our neighborhood that are going to have an unsafe route to get to the hub system to then take the bus to their school," she said.

Their bus stops will be at Blazier Elementary and Blazier Intermediate, which are two-and-a-half miles from their home.

"We are bordered by two two-lane highways, basically. There are no sidewalks. The bike lanes are basically non-existent. Half the time, the bike lane is in the grass, and the dirt and gravel off to the side. Cars are zipping down like 60 miles per hour," she said.

Plus, their pick-up times are nearly an hour and a half apart.

"The zone school is at 8:21 a.m., which as a working parent is, how do you make that work?" she said.

One of her kids is also in marching band. The district says late activity transportation for secondary schools will end, though campuses can still pay for it for themselves.

Graham says she'll have to drive her child to activities, and she's still trying to figure out what to do in the morning, like carpooling or having family help out.

"I honestly don't know at this point. I am honestly quite overwhelmed by it," she said. "My concern, too, is not just for us, but those that don't have that privilege. You know, what about that single working parent that has to work to put food on the table and the roof over their head? How is that child going to get to the hub system to get to school?"